Game



W. HEINIGER June 4, 1940,

GAME

Filed Feb. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WAL ER HIE/NIGER mfky ATTORNEYS.

W. HEINIGER June 4, 1940.

GAME

Filed Feb. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 255 la w o n INVENTOR. WALTER HE /N/GER x ,tzt

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 18, 1938, Serial No. 191,152 In Switzerland March 9, 1937 4 Claims.

This invention refers to a game, and relates more particularly to a device for mechanically inserting into their proper places the various parts used in the course of a bowling game.

An object of the present invention is the provision of mechanical means through the use of which the pins and the balls used in the course of a bowling game are returned mechanically to their proper places by the manipulation of a lever or levers.

Other objects will be apparent in the course of the folowing shpecification. The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows the device partly in side elevation and partly in section.

The device shown in the drawings comprises a frame I, which may form a part of the ceiling of a bowling alley. A sliding frame 2 is movable in the longitudinal direction along the alley. The frame 2 carries a cylinder 3. As shown in Figure 1, ten ropes 4 pass over the cylinder 3. 0ne end of each of the ropes 4 is attached to a separate pin 5, while the opposite end of each rope is fixed to a roller 6, so that the device is provided with ten rollers 6. Each of these rollers is connected with a ratchet wheel I having a dog 8. Due to this arrangement, all the ropes 4 may be adjusted to approximately even lengths. The dog 8 co-operates with the ratchet wheel I, which is rotatable along with the roller 6 in such manner that an unwinding of the rope can take place as soon as a dog 8 is removed from its locking engagement with a ratchet wheel 1. A reserve, length of the ropes is wound upon the rollers 6 to be used in case of breakage.

A board 9 provided with openings for the pins 5 is situated above these pins. The openings in the board 9 are so arranged that they correspond to the positions occupied by the pins in the course of a game.

Those ends of the ropes 4 which are attached to the pins 5 extend through openings l2 formed in a frame ll situated above the board 9. The openings ID for the pins 5 and the holes 12 formed in the frame H are situated one above the other.

The ropes 4 extend over rollers l3, which are =55 preferably mounted upon a common axle and thence extend over the cylinder 3 to the rollers i.

A cross-bar M, which is preferaby rectangular in cross-section, is situated below the ropes 4 and between the rollers I3 and the slide frame 2 when the latter occupies its front end position. The upper surface of the cross-bar I4 is situated at the distance of about two to five millimeters below the ropes 4 when these ropes are stretched.

Double-armed levers 15 are situated above the cross-bar l4 and above the ropes 4. The lower arm of each of the levers I5 is heavier than the upper arm and is provided with a braking member which is adapted to hold a rope 4 upon the cross-bar I4 when the braking end of the lever is dropped upon the rope and the cross-bar. I

The upper lighter arm of each of the levers l5 forms the core of a solenoid IS. The two arms of each of the levers l5 extend at an obtuse angle to each other. When the core is attracted by the solenoid IS, the braking end of the lever I5 is removed from its contact with the rope 4, thereby freeing the rope.

There is a separate lever I5 and a separate solenoid l6 for each of the ten ropes, this number being equal to the number of the pins used in the bowling game.

The solenoid I6 is supplied by electrical current from any suitable source of direct current, for instance, by an A. C.-D. C. converter set H.

A wire I8 connects one of the terminals of the set I! with one end of the solenoid l6, while a wire l9 connects the set or source I! with the ten switches 20 arranged close to the player. The opposite ends of the switches 20 are connected by the couple 2| to the solenoids, so that each of the switches 2|] operates a separate solenoid I6.

When the current is supplied to the solenoids, the cores are attracted by them and the levers release the ropes 4. Then the slide frame 2 may be moved toward the pins, thus lowering the ropes 4, which will place the pins 5 upon their required places in the standing position.

Mechanical means are provided to free all the ropes at the same time. These means consist of a beam 22 which extends across the upper arms of the levers l5 and which is carried by an angular lever 23 pivotally mounted upon an axle 24. The beam 22 is so arranged that when it is operated by means of the lever 23, it raises all the cores of the solenoids and thus withdraws the levers l5 from the ropes 4. A rail 25 leads from the'free end of the angular lever 23 to the player, so that the player may actuate the beam 22 from his usual position.

The slide frame 2 is operated by a motor 26. The shaft of the motor 26 is connected by a worm gear 21 to a shaft 28. The shaft 28 is connected by a gear drive 29 with the second shaft 30. The two shafts 28 and 36 are connected by chain wheels to a third shaft 33. Wedges are used to provide a firm connection between the chain wheels and the shafts 28 and 30, while these chain Wheels are free in relation to the shaft 33.

Coupling discs 34 and 35, which are fixed to the shaft 33, are situated on both sides of the chain wheels. A bushing 36 is mounted with axial play upon the shaft 33 and is situated between the chain wheels. The bushing 36 is actuated by a fork 31, which is connected by a rod 38 to the players position. Discs 39 and All are freely mounted upon the shaft 33 and are situated between the bushing and the chain wheels.

The bushing 36 is pressed either against the disc 39 or the disc 40 by the motion of the fork 31. In the position shown in Figure 3, the bushing 35 is moved downwards so that it presses the disc 33 against the chain wheel 3| and the chain wheel 3! against the disc 34. Thus the disc M rotates along with the other elements and the shaft 33 is rotated in the same direction as the shaft 28.

The space between the chain wheels and the shaft 33 and the coupling discs 33, 35 and the discs 39 and 40 is comparatively small, being in the neighborhood of two millimeters; furthermore, the distance between the shaft 33, on the one hand, and the shafts 28 and 33, on the other hand, israther large, being equal to at least half a meter. In addition, the teeth engaging the links of the chains are provided with sufficient play. Due to these features, there is no danger that the chains will be clamped and that any breaks will occur in the chains or that the free movement of the chains will be impeded in any way.

A third chain 4| connects the shaft 33 with a chain wheel 42 situated in front of the slide frame when the latter occupies its front end position. The slide frame is connected to this chain.

If the bushing 35 is moved to one side, the slide frame is moved forward, and when the bushing 36 is moved in the opposite direction, the slide frame will be pulled backwards.

The halls are raised upon the inclined surface of the run-off channel 5| by means of an elevator device comprising two cylinders 46 and 41 carrying an endless belt 48 which extends obliquely, as shown in Figure 2.

Flaps 49 are carried by the belt 38 and are mounted thereon by means of the links, so that the flaps 49 extend at right angles to the belt on the upgoing part of the latter. The same can be accomplished by the use of supporting angles 50 situated underneath the flaps on the upwardly going portion of the belt.

When a ball is dropped, it is caught by one of the flaps 39 and moved upward until it reaches the run-off channel 5|. From that point, the ball can roll back to the player. After the ball carried by the elevator passes the upper drum the ball falls onto the belt.

Preferably, the drum 46 is driven by means of a motor 52 through the intermediary of a worm gear 53.

Shells 5d are provided on both sides of the elevator device and are used to prevent the balls from rolling sidewise. In the construction shown in Figure 2, the front shell 54 is removed to show the elevator more clearly.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Let it be assumed that the pins are standing upon their plate ready for the game. Then the slide frame 2 occupies the dotted-line position shown in Figure 2. The ropes 4 then form loops 4 which extend between the slide frame 2 and the levers i5 and are shown by broken lines in Figifre 2. The ropes 3 also form loops 4" situated between the frame I l and the standing pins 5. Due to the provision of these loops of ropes, the pins may tumble and be thrown to any length by the player.

The player actuates the rail 38 in such manner that the slide frame 2 is pulled by the chain 4| to its rear end position.

Then all the pins are drawn by the ropes 4 into the holes ii! of the board 3. In order to place the pins back in their positions, the player pushes the beam 22 forward by means of the rail 25 and thus presses all the solenoid cores against their solenoids. Then all the ropes i are freed. The

rail 38 may then move the frame 2 back to its front end position, and then the pins 5 are all placed back upon their positions.

The described elevator device raises the ball until it falls into the run-off channel, and thence the ball rolls by gravity back to the player.

If after a shot the fallen pins are to be removed from the game while the standing ones are permitted to remain, the player operates the corresponding switches 23 so that only the solenoids which correspond to the standing pins receive an electrical current. The switches corresponding to the fallen pins are opened so that the solenoids receive no current. Therefore, the corresponding levers 15 will clamp the ropes leading to these the slide frame 2 and the bar M, as far as the fallen pins are concerned, that is, the pins removed from the standing plate, while the reserve portions l of the ropes 4 serve the remaining standing pins. If afterwards all the pins are to be set up again, the solenoids can be deenergized and the levers l5 actuated by the beam 22.

I claim: a i

1. In a pin game, a plurality of ropes, each rope having one end attached to a separate pin, a plurality of levers, a plurality of foot pieces, each lever having one end carrying a separate foot piece adapted to clamp a separate rope, a plurality of solenoid cores, each solenoid core being carried by the opposite end of a separate lever, a plurality of solenoids, each solenoid being adapted to attract a separate solenoid core, a beam, a manually operable rail, means connecting said rail with said beam, and means connected with said beam and the second-mentioned ends of the levers for simultaneously operating said levers to release said ropes.

2. In a pin game, a plurality of ropes, each rope having one end attached to a separate pin, a plurality of levers, each lever having one end adapted to clamp a separate rope, magnetic means for separately attracting the opposite ends of said levers to free said ropes individually, a source of direct current having one pole connected with said magnetic means, a plurality of switches connected with said magnetic means, the number of said switches being equal to that of said levers, and means coupling said switches.

3. In a pin game, a rope having one end attached to a pin, means for clamping and freeing saidrope, a longitudinally movable slide frame, a cylinder carried by said slide frame and supporting said rope, a motor, a worm gear driven by said motor, a first shaft driven by said worm gear, a toothed gear driven by the first shaft, a second shaft driven by said toothed gear, a third shaft, two chain wheels loosely mounted on the third shaft, chain drives connecting the first shaft and the second shaft with the two chain wheels, respectively, a bushing mounted upon the third shaft between the two chain wheels, a fork ac- 1 tuating said bushing, two discs, each disc being connected with a separate chain wheel, two clutch discs firmly connected with the third shaft and situated on opposite sides of the first-mentioned disc-s, a railing actuating said fork, and an endless chain drive operatively connecting the third shaft with said slide frame.

4. In a pin game, a rope having one end attached to a pin, means for clamping and freeing said rope, alongitudinally movable slide frame, a cylinder carried by said slide frame and supporting said rope, a motor, a worm gear driven by said motor, a first shaft driven by said worm gear, a toothed gear driven by the first shaft, a second shaft driven by said toothed gear, a third shaft, two chain wheels loosely mounted on the third shaft, chain drives connecting the first shaft and the second shaft with the two chain wheels, respectively, a bushing mounted upon the third shaft between the two chain wheels, a fork actuating said bushing, two discs, each disc being connected with a separate chain wheel, two clutch discs firmly connected with the third shaft and situated on opposite-sides of the first-mentioned discs, the play between said chain wheels, the first-mentioned discs and the second-mentioned discs being of the magnitude of two millimeters, the distance of the third shaft from the first and the second shafts and the play of the teeth of the chain drives being of a magnitude preventing the clamping of the chain drives in the course of an axial deviation of said chain wheels, means for actuating said fork, and an endless chain drive operatively connecting the third shaft with said slide frame.

WALTER HEINIGER. 

